For web you enter a URL and the site is rendered on a pool of ~20 devices in multiple browsers (Native, Chrome, Dolphin HD, Opera Mini, Opera Mobile, Firefox). We display screen-shots for each one and the entire cycle takes about 4.5 minutes.

For Android native and hybrid apps, we install, launch, take screen-shots in portrait and landscape, randomly hit it with UI input, and then run any custom JUnit (Robotium, etc) tests you've uploaded. This happens on ~60 devices and takes about 3.5 minutes. The report is generated in real time and contains full logcat dumps and other detailed information.

For creating your own custom automated content you should check out Robotium for Android, Selenium for web, or a cross-platform tool like MonkeyTalk.

Be thorough with your research on automation. I have not used AppThwack, but have had extensive exposure to Device Anywhere, and I found it sub-optimal. Latency, lag, and device down-time were large factors. My old shop had all North American handsets on-site, so we would use Device Anywhere for Canadian devices/providers. patience must be a virtue with services like these.

Also, I did not automate any testing on Device Anywhere, I did everything manually and encountered hiccups/lag/et al, so if there is some automation script that you will be running, be wary that it can handle unexpected wait times.